The New Dark One
by SwanQueen4tw
Summary: Set at the end of season 4. Emma takes Regina's place as the Dark One. Emma tells Regina her deepest secret to save her happiness.
1. Chapter 1

I watched in horror as the darkness surrounded Regina. "Regina.."

"What's it doing?" Robin yelled. He was pushed away when the darkness started to eat away at Regina.

"It's doing what darkness always does; it's sucking away all the light."

"No! I won't let it!" Before I could stop him, Robin ran towards Regina just to be thrown back.

"That won't work; it has to be someone full of light." I started towards Regina; ignoring my parents' and Hook's screams.

"Emma! No! There has to be another way!"

"You know there's not. Regina, you've worked too hard for your happiness. I'm not letting you throw it away. You've saved us so many times before; it's my turn to now. I said I would always save you." Lunging forward, I stood in front of Regina. The darkness started biting at me. "We can do this together…" I took Regina's hands in mine. "Just like in the mines."

Regina never looked away. "I'm not strong enough…"

"But we are." I leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Keep my dagger safe. And, I love you." Feeling Regina loosen up, I shoved her back, out of the tornado of darkness.

"EMMA!" I watched a single tear roll down Regina's cheek before I was sucked up and torn away from the people I loved.

Xxx

When I came to it was morning. Rubbing my head, I sat up and realized I was in the woods near the town line. Images from last night started to filter back through my head. I was the new dark one…and I told Regina I loved her. That realization scared me more than becoming the dark one. My body felt heavy when I tried to walk. They would be looking for me if they haven't been already. I had to see Regina again. That I knew. But I had to be careful. I wasn't sure what I was capable of now.

Making my way towards the graveyard, I made sure to stay quiet. Hook would be looking for me by the water and my parents would be looking in the woods. Breaking the protection spell, I entered Regina's crypt. It was quiet and I felt safe being around Regina's stuff. Walking down the stone steps, I lit the candles with a wave of my hand. I noticed a small pillow in one of the chairs and tossed it on the carpet. Grabbing a nearby blanket, I curled into a ball and tried to sleep.

"Emma." Something shook me. "Emma. Wake up!"

I pulled back and was about to blast whoever was shaking me until I realized it was Regina looking down at me. "Regina, how…"

"Where else would you go? I'm tethered to this place so I know when my protection spell is broken. Here," Regina held out a large to-go cup of coffee.

"I'm sorry…" Sitting up slowly, I took the offered cup and sipped it. The steamy liquid filled my muscles with life. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And we need to talk." Regina folded her legs under her as she sat beside me.

I felt my cheeks turn red. I knew what Regina had to say. "Regina…" There was a firm smack to the side of my head before I could continue. "Ow! What the hell?" I rubbed my head. Not like my head already didn't hurt enough.

"You idiot!" There was pain in Regina's dark eyes. "How could you tell me something like that and then shove me away?"

"I had to catch you off guard…."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Was it even true?" Her voice cracked. "Or was it just to throw me off?"

"It was true." Silence fell between us. Regina's eyes softened. Tenderness mingled with the sorrow. "I'm sorry. I'll go. I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have." I started to get up but Regina grabbed my wrist.

"You're not going to hurt me, even if you are the dark one now. You'd never hurt me. We both know it. Now sit back down." Looking towards Regina, she met my gaze. "You know I'm right."

"True." Sitting back down, I sighed. "Can I stay here? It calms the dark magic inside me for some reason."

"It's because it's filled with my belongings. And yes, you can stay. No one will look for you here. Which is why you came here in the first place, isn't it?"

"It is." I looked down at the coffee cup. "So, you knew it was me here huh? Is that why you brought coffee?"

"I had a feeling it was you. And I know how much of a caffeine addict you are. The last thing this town needs is The Dark One going through caffeine withdraw." A soft chuckle escaped Regina's throat. "Though, I can't constantly bring you food and drink here. People will start to get suspicious."

"I know. I'm just not ready to face my parents."

"Emma," Regina cupped my cheek and made me meet her gaze. "Everything will be okay. I'll figure out a way to find Murlan. It's my turn to save you." My eyelids fluttered shut when Regina caressed my cheek with her thumb. "I need to go. Henry will be awake soon."

A soft whimper escaped when I felt the loss of Regina's touch. "Tell Henry I love him."

"I will. And I knew how you felt." My eyes grew wide a moment. "Come now Emma, you honestly thought I wouldn't notice the glares you gave Robin when he tried to comfort me? Or even get near me."

"Damn. And I thought I was hiding it." Regina's chuckle created warmth in me. "I'll see you around?"

"I'll bring you food later. Text me if you need something. And I'll tell your parents that you're safe. But I won't tell them where you are."

"Thank you Regina."

Xxx

Something started to pull on me. Regina must be summoning me with the dagger. I appeared in the woods a few yards away. "Dark one, I summon thee. Dark one, get your ass over here! Emma, where the hell are-,"

"Hey Regina." I walked towards her. She brought me to where the bridge once was. "You going to throw me off the bridge again?"

"No. I brought you a grilled cheese and a root beer." Regina held out a brown paper bag.

Joining her on a stump, I took a seat and started to un-wrap the sandwich. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Granny knew it was for you when I ordered it. Everyone wants to see you Emma. Your parents and the pirate are worried."

"I know they are. I think in a few days I'll come back. I just don't want to hurt anyone. This dark magic keeps biting at me. It wants to get out. I feel like I'm…"

"Disappearing into the darkness?" Of course Regina would understand. "I know how that feels. But you're stronger than I am so I know you won't get lost in it like I did. Can I see something?"

Turning towards Regina, I wondered what she was talking about. That was until she plunged her hand into my chest and pulled. "Regina, what the hell…"

"Huh…" Regina inspected my heart. "It's not darkened."

My brow creased. "How?"

"I don't know." Regina continued to inspect my heart. "Interesting. Here," shoving my heart back, I grabbed Regina's shoulder. "Easy, Emma. I know, it hurts."

"Does Robin know?" When Regina never replied, I bowed my head.

"I didn't tell him. He already knew. After you left, I went to my crypt in search for a spell or anything I could find to help you. He confronted me and we talked. He bowed out with dignity." Regina paused a moment. "He knew he'd never win in a fight with you, especially now when all of my time will be spent trying to save you. Besides, we do share a son."

I didn't know what to say. I was glad I didn't have to battle him for Regina's attention, but then I knew he made her happy. "Regina…"

"It's okay Emma." We sat in silence for what felt like hours. I leaned my head against Regina's shoulder and just listened to her breathing. It was slow and relaxed. The smell of her perfume and having her so close calmed me. "Henry's worried about you. He's hopeful that we figure out how to reverse this. He's been reading up on this wizard since last night. I had to force him to sleep last night."

I chuckled softly. "That's our Henry."

"It is." Regina stood. "I'll head back and tell them I checked up on you. That you've been fed."

"Will you help me? I want to see them, but if I start to go dark or whatever, I need you to calm me down or control me with the dagger."

"I will." She paused, "But it's not like I don't already have control over you." There was a twitch at the corner of Regina's mouth. All I did was snicker.

Xxx

"Mom!" Henry jumped up from the booth and ran towards me and Regina. He came to a halt when I took a step back. "Mom, you're not going to hurt me."

"I know. I'm just worried." I hugged Henry. I wasn't worried. I was scared. Terrified. "I'm sorry I didn't come back earlier." I looked towards my parents and Hook. There was that knowing look in his eyes. He knew my heart belonged to Regina. Even if he didn't hear me tell her last night, actions speak louder than words.

"It's okay Emma." David joined us. Both Mary Margaret and David wrapped me in a hug.

"We're just glad you're back." Mary Margaret pulled back, "You are staying right?"

"Yeah, I'm staying in town…."

"She's staying with me. In my spare bedroom." I glanced towards Regina in confusion. She never mentioned this to me. "Henry, can you stay with the Charmings for a bit?"

"Of course." Henry smiled. "If anyone can help Emma, it's you."

Xxx

"Thank you for letting me stay here." I sat on the queen sized bed.

"You're welcome. Get some sleep Emma. We'll work on controlling the dark magic tomorrow." She leaned against the doorframe until I was settled. "Goodnight Emma."

"Goodnight Regina." With that, she flipped off the light. Lying in bed, I thought about how far Regina and I have come since we first met. Who knew I would fall in love with the woman who pissed me off constantly when I first came to town. Sadly it wasn't reciprocated. I knew Regina cared about me but it wasn't the same.

Xxx

I woke to the smell of coffee and bacon. Making my way to the kitchen, I saw Regina cooking. "It's about time you wake up. I figured the smell of coffee and bacon would get you out of bed."

"Pancakes, bacon, and coffee? Wow. Maybe I should have become the Dark One earlier." Regina glared as I passed. "It was a joke." Pouring me coffee, I topped off Regina's mug. "It smells awesome."

"Well you've always loved my cooking. And it's healthier than Granny's." Regina filled me a plate and placed it on the counter. "The maple syrup is in the fridge. If you don't mind, let's eat at the bar."

"Sure." Digging in, I had to keep myself from shoveling the food down. It tasted amazing.

"Chewing helps." Regina smirked. "How do you feel this morning?"

"Better than yesterday. I think being here helps." I felt like I could be more open with Regina. She already knew my deepest secret.

"That's good. We'll go to my crypt after breakfast and look through my spell books. Henry is working on finding the wizard." I opened my mouth, but Regina cut me off. "And if you thank me one more time I'll hit you again." I ducked down slightly. "You can thank me after we get the darkness out of you."

"Okay."

Xxx

"There's nothing here Regina." I huffed and closed the book. "We've been at this for hours now and haven't found anything."

"Emma-,"

"Moms! Moms!"

"We're down here Henry!" Regina and I watched as our son almost stumbled down the stairs. "Be careful."

"I think I know how to reverse this!" He came to a stop in front of us. "I don't know why I didn't think of this before. We don't need Murlan."

"Why not? He's the only one who can…"

"No Mom; he's not." Henry looked at me. I knew that look. Oh God. "You love Mom. I know you do, don't deny it." Henry turned his attention towards Regina. The slight hitch in her breathing told me she knew where this was going.

"Henry…" Her voice was light.

"All you need to do is kiss Emma. True Love's Kiss can break this. Again, don't deny it. The two of you love each other. Emma sacrificed herself to save you from the darkness and you almost sacrificed yourself to save me and Emma in the mines. You set aside your differences to save me in Neverland."

"Henry, I love Regina and she knows that but…it's not mutual. Regina cares about me because of you…not because she loves me." My voice cracked and a lump started to form in my throat. My heart was breaking.

"Mom," Henry looked towards Regina. "Tell her."

"Henry…"

"Oh come on! I saw the way you looked at Emma in the alternate universe. When you were about to die and when you first met her. There was love in your eyes; even though you didn't know each other then." Henry paused, "If you don't believe me, then prove me wrong. Kiss her and see what happens." I met Regina's eyes and shrugged. I could feel my cheeks start to burn. A nervous chuckle escaped my throat when I started to lean towards Regina. "Come on…"Henry kept his voice low and hopeful. Regina cupped my cheek and closed the gap between us. Her lips were so soft. I felt warmth and light spread through me. It was actually working! I kissed back and deepened it. "Eww. I'm gonna just…go."

Neither of us paid our son attention. We were too fixated on one another. "Regina…I think it's working…" I moaned as Regina kissed down my neck.

"Good." Guiding us to the rug, Regina laid on top of me placing her weight on her forearms. My fingers tangled in her dark hair. I moaned again as she slipped her tongue between my lips to battle with its counterpart. "I love you too Emma."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A few people have asked for a second chapter and here it is.

Chapter two

"Regina…" My hips bucked into hers as Regina nipped at my pulse point. A whimper echoed along the stone walls when Regina slid her hand up my shirt only to rake her nails down my side slowly. "Please…"

"What is it that you want my dear?" Regina's voice was husky in my ear. It caused a shiver to ravage its way through my body. "I always knew you liked my dark side, and I'm starting to like yours." My hips bucked again as Regina let her hand slide over my inner thighs. I needed these jeans off and I needed her on top of me.

I moaned as Regina nibbled my earlobe and proceeded to run her tongue along the shell of my ear. "Regina, you know what I want. I want you. It's always been you...even from the start." Panic raced through me when I felt Regina stiffen and lean up; her dark eyes turning soft. "Regina?" I cupped the brunette's cheek. "Was it something I said?"

A soft smile tugged at the corner of Regina's mouth. "I never knew how deep your emotions ran for me."

I could feel my cheeks start to burn. "They do." In that moment, I felt as vulnerable as I was the moment I met the powerful Mayor. My fingers tangled in long brunette locks as Regina dipped her head to leave her mark on me. "It's always been you Regina..." I sighed as a nip was followed by a hot tongue to sooth the sensitive skin.

Within moments, all of our clothing had been shed and thrown into a pile on the floor. Regina was beautiful. More than I could have ever imagined. All I could do was smile as she hovered over me. "Emma, what is it?"

"You're…there are no words." A single tear slid down my cheek. "This, us, is my happy ending. I guess villains _can_ have happy endings."

"You're not a villain you idiot." Love shined in Regina's chocolate eyes. "But, love, true love, is the most powerful magic of all. It can stop the darkness inside you." The look in Regina's eyes told me she wasn't just talking about me. She was talking about the darkness in herself as well. "I wanted to be better for Henry. You were never part of my plan." Both of us chuckled. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

xxx

"MOMS!" Henry stood and ran towards Regina and I as we walked into Granny's. "Did it work?" My cheeks burned at Henry's question. All Regina did was chuckle.

"I believe it did Henry." I ruffled our son's hair. "The darkness is gone…in both of us." I glanced towards Regina remembering the light that surrounded us as we made love.

"So, how did you do it?" Mary Margaret and David walked towards us. The look on my father's face made me turn a deeper shade of red. He may not know the exact details, but he had an idea.

"Regina helped me." I couldn't help the grin from spreading across my face. I was nervous and giddy.

Mary Margaret smiled; still not realizing what I meant. "Well, how did she do it? What did she do?"

"You don't want to know the answer to either of those questions."Regina's voice was a purr. I couldn't help but lean my head against her shoulder. Mary Margaret's confusion turned to disbelief and then to horror. I knew the grin on Regina's face only grew by the second.

"No." Mary Margaret took a step back.

"Oh yes." Regina's voice was dripping with triumph.

"No." The petite woman grabbed onto her husband. "David…"

"Oh come on! You didn't see this coming?" Leroy spoke up. "It was going to happen eventually. I say we celebrate them." He raised his pint, "To The Savior and her Queen!" Everyone but Mary Margaret cheered.

"But, what about Hook?" Mary Margaret's eyes pleaded with me. "And Regina, what about Robin? I know there's a complication because of the baby he's having with your sister but…"

"I am not raising another woman's child unless I adopt him. And I already have all the children I want." Regina pulled Henry into a one-armed hug.

"And when it comes to Hook, he knew how I felt towards Regina. I broke his heart but he just wants me to be happy." I wanted Mary Margaret's blessing. I knew I didn't need it, but I still wanted it. I knew I had David's.

"But, Emma, Regina's my step mother….she's your…," Mary Margaret stopped to think.

"Happy ending. Regina is the woman I love. Mary Margaret, I want you to be happy for us. But if you're not, then so be it." I knew my words were harsh but I needed to make my point. I felt everyone's eyes on me. They probably thought I was going dark again.

"Emma…are you…." Mary Margaret reached out, trying to cup my cheek.

"I'm not going dark. There's no darkness left in either of us." My voice was lighter this time.

Mary Margaret stood in silence. She looked between Regina and I for a moment. "Okay. If she makes you happy, I can learn to accept that my daughter wants to be with a woman."

I had to swallow a groan. "Okay." There would be tension between us until she accepted me. "And, for the record, no this isn't a phase."

Regina chuckled. "Let's grab a bite to eat. I'm sure you're starving by now."

"Regina," I couldn't help but jab her in the side lightly. "Really?" All I got was a smirk. "You're horrible."

"But you love me for it." Regina smirked knowingly. All I could do was shake my head.


End file.
